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From: ddrake01 Four scuba divers of my club were attempting to start a river float, i.e. no scuba gear except for thermal equipment, mask, fins, snorkel. They went out into the river at the base of a small dam. The float has been done the same way for 15 or so years w/o mishap. All four were pulled up stream by a what is know in the white water rafting sport as a hydraulic eddy. They where then pulled into the hydraulic caused by the falling water from the dam. The severe danger of the hydraulic is the momentum of the water against your body exerts several hundred pounds/kilos of compressive force holding you against the bottom. Air is forced out and/or water into the lungs. The youngest, and probably most fit of the 4 lived. The fitness factor is just speculation as a head injurys may have disabled the victims. I am not a cave diver, but I do dive the river from time to time. That these were very seasoned divers and most experienced with current diving, the lesson is to be very aware of any possible dangers at your dive sites. Recent rains had somewhat swollen the river. Also, just because you've done something a million times, doesn't mean you'll survive the next one. I would think that change in flow rate or direction due to downpours of rain can be mortally significant. Dry Caves become death traps when sumps fill, restrictions become fire hoses, under water trees and debree become knives and swords when the current kicks in. :-( I for one will always make it a point to drop into a bar or hotel or somewhere to get a recent radar picture of rain showers and other weather factors when possible before going out, on, or in the water. Bill Dyer, Jamie Standring who is the safety officer, barely survived and was hospitalized for the night. My technical/commercial buddy, the vice-pres., fared the best...he is very big and wasn't wearing fins which helped him get footing. The club's past president of several years passed away along with a new member. There was a sun-bleached no swimming sign posted. I fear that our UK safety officer is going to learn about US liability law in a very nasty way via the new member's family. I was trying to get dives in to train for a deep dive in June or I'd been with them. Don't take your life for granted, the most harmless thing in water can kill you cold. Regretfully, DAVID DRAKE AHDNN1A.DDRAKE01@ED*.CO* ROMULUS, MICHIGAN EDS/GM POWERTRAIN 8-375-5467 (GM NET)
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